Leadville 100 MTB – 28 Week Training Plan (Performance / Sub-9 Goal)
This 28-week Leadville 100 MTB performance plan is engineered for athletes targeting Sub-9, a personal best, or a competitive finishing time.
It is a higher-volume, higher-intensity program designed to maximise climbing power, durability, repeatable efforts, and long-day endurance.
Written by Enduraprep Head Coach Lawrence Cronk, who personally achieved a Sub-9 hour finish at Leadville (from the back corral) in 2025.
**Who This Plan Is For**
* Experienced MTB, gravel, or road cyclists
* Riders aiming for Sub-9, a personal best, or a competitive finish
* Athletes able to train 7 hours building toward 13+ hours per week during key blocks
* Anyone seeking a more aggressive progression than a “finisher” plan
* Riders comfortable with threshold, tempo, and VO2 sessions
**What the Plan Delivers**
* A full 28-week periodised program (Base → Build → Peak → Taper)
* Workouts using power, heart rate, or RPE
* Integrated and periodised strength training
* A progressive long-ride structure designed for high-performance 100-mile MTB racing
* Climbing-specific workouts inspired by key Leadville features:
* Powerline
* Sugarloaf
* Columbine
* Regular recovery weeks for adaptation
* Fuelling and long-session guidance via video instruction with Coach Cronk
* Final race-specific weeks focused on pacing strategy and execution
**Included Extras**
Video walkthrough explaining how to:
* Personalise weekly hours
* Modify the plan around life commitments
* Swap sessions intelligently
* Understand the purpose of key workouts
* Enduraprep Nutrition App www.mymenucoach.co.uk (optional subscription, paid separately)
* Full refund of this plan when upgrading to 1:1 coaching with Coach Cronk
[www.enduraprep.com/online-coaching](http://www.enduraprep.com/online-coaching)
**Training Requirements**
You do not need to be an elite rider to begin this plan.
A basic fitness foundation of 2–4 rides per week is recommended.
All sessions can be completed outdoors or on a smart trainer and include clear instructions.
**Why This Plan Works**
This plan builds fitness progressively, adds climbing and intensity in a sustainable way, and prepares you specifically for Leadville’s unique demands. You’ll arrive at the start line prepared, fresh, and confident.
With guidance from a coach who has personally gone Sub-9 on the course, you gain structure backed by experience — not guesswork.
For more information on coaching, visit www.enduraprep.com/online-coaching
or reach out to coachcronk@enduraprep.com
At Enduraprep we coach athletes of all levels — from first-time racers to competitive age-groupers chasing IRONMAN or Gran Fondo World Champs slots. Our athletes have taken on everything from 5 km runs & sprint triathlons to multi-day ultra-marathons & extreme challenges.
We provide remote coaching to athletes worldwide, supported by performance testing (VO₂ max & resting metabolic rate) in South Wales, UK. Plus training camps at our base in training paradise, The Kamnik Savinja Alps, Slovenia.